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NEW YORK STATE LOCAL HISTORY 
SOURCE LEAFLETS 



PREPARED BY THE DIVISION OF 
ARCHIVES AND HISTORY 



VERRAZANO'S VOYAGE ALONG THE ATLANTIC 
COAST OF NORTH AMERICA 

1524 

Reprinted from the annual report of the State Historian 



ALBANY 
THE UNIVERSITY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK 
I916 
Y8r-0i6-sooo 






NOTE 
These leaflets are intended for the boys and 
girls in our New York schools so that they may 
come to know something of the sources of the 
history which they study. It is hoped that the 
teachers, their pupils and others into whose 
hands they come will feel encouraged to make 
suggestions for similar selections, or even them- 
selves prepare material and present it to the 
Division of Archives and History for editing 
and publication. 

d; of d; 

JAf: 12 13f7 



Jl 





CUUL^ \erra?7a.ncc^ 




At one time a painting in oil of Verrazano was in the possession of his family. 
This portrait was engraved for a book entitled " Uomini Illustri Toscani " pub- 
lished in Florence in 1 768. The above is from the engraving. The signature is 
from a letter signed by him. See De Costa, Verrazano the Explorer, p. 44. 



Extract of a Letter from Joao da Silveira, Portuguese Ambassa- 
dor in France, to John III, King of Portugal ^ 

Sire : 

[The letter first speaks of other matters and then goes on] 
By what I hear, Maestro Joao Verazano, who is going on the 
discovery of Cathay, has not left up to this date, for want of 
opportunity and because of differences, I understand between him- 
self and his men; and on this topic, though knowing of nothing 
positively, I have written my doubts in accompanying letters. I 
shall continue to doubt unless he take his departure. 

... May our Lord prolong the life of your Highness many 
days and prosper the royal estate. 
From Poessi the XXV of April 1523. 

Joao da[_Silveira 

Letter of Bernardo Carli to his Father about Verrazano's Voyage 

In the name of God. 

4 August, 1524. 
Honorable Father : 

Considering that when I was in the armada in Barbary at Garbich 
the news were advised you daily from the illustrious Sig. Don Hugo 
de Moncada, Captain General of the Caesarean Majesty in those 
barbarous parts, [of what] happened in contending with the Moors 
of that island ; by which it appears you caused pleasure to many 
of our patrons and friends and congratulated yourselves on. the 
victory achieved : so there being here news recently of the arrival of 
Captain Giovanni da Verrazzano, our Florentine, at the port of 
Dieppe, in Normandy, with his ship, the Dauphiny, with which he 
sailed from the Canary islands the end of last January, to go in 
search of new lands for this most serene crown of France, in which 
he displayed very noble and great courage in undertaking such an 
unknown voyage with only one ship, which was a caravel of 

hardly tons, with only fifty men, with the intention, if possible, 

of discovering Cathay, taking a course through other climates than 
those the Portuguese use in reaching it by the way of Calicut, but 
going towards the northwest and north, entirely believing that, 
although Ptolemy, Aristotle and other cosmographers affirm that 
no land is to be found towards such climates, he would find it there 



1 The headings used throughout this leaflet are put in by the editor. 
They do not appear in the manuscripts. 



nevertheless. And so God has vouchsafed him as he distinctly 
describes in a letter of his to this S. M. ; of which, in this, there 
is a copy. And for want of provisions, after many months spent 
in navigating, he asserts he was forced to return from that hemi- 
sphere into this, and having been seven months on the voyage, to 
show a very great and rapid passage, and to have achieved a wonder- 
ful and most extraordinary feat according to those who under- 
stand the seamanship of the world. Of which at the commence- 
ment of his said voyage there was an unfavorable opinion formed, 
and many thought there would be no more news either of him or of 
his vessel, but that he might be lost on that side of Norway, in 
consequence of the great ice which is in that northern ocean; but 
the Great God, as the Moor said, in order to give us every day 
proofs of his infinite power and show us how admirable is this 
worldly machine, has disclosed to him a breadth of land, as you 
will perceive, of such extent that according to good reasons, and 
the degrees of latitude and longitude, he alleges and shows it greater 
than Europe, Africa and a part of Asia ; ergo mundus novus : ^ 
and this exclusive of what the Spaniards have discovered in several 
years in the west. 

[Here follow some remarks on Magellan.] 

What this our captain has brought he does not state in this letter, 
except a very young man taken from those countries ; but it is 
supposed he has brought a sample of gold which they do not 
value in those parts, and of drugs and other aromatic liquors for 
the purpose of conferring here with several merchants after he shall 
have been in the presence of the Most Serene Majesty. And at this 
hour he ought to be there, and from choice to come here shortly, as 
he is much desired in order to converse with him ; the more so 
that he will find here the Majesty, the King, our Lord, who is 
expected here in three or four days. And we hope that S. M. will 
entrust him again with half a dozen good vessels and that he will 
return to the voyage. And if our Francisco Carli be returned 
from Cairo, advise him to go, at a venture, on the said voyage 
with him; and I beheve they were acquainted at Cairo where he 
has been several years; and not only in Egypt and Syria, but 
almost through all the known world, and thence by reason of his 
merit is esteemed another Amerigo Vespucci; another Fernando 
Magellan and even more; and we hope that being provided with 
other good ships and vessels, well built and properly victualled,. 
he may discover some profitable traffic and matter; and will, our 



^ Translation : " therefore a new world." Ed. 




ViGNtTTE 



Map made by La Cosa 1 500 



t OCEANUS 0GCIDENTALI5 




HAS ANTILHAS 



Cantino map made in 1502 



' Q 







Map printed in 151 3, called the Admiral's or Ptolemy's map 

Maps made before the time of Verrazano, but showing no knowledge _ of 
the coast in the vicinity of New York. [From Winsor's Narrative and Critical 
History, II, p. 106, 108, 112.] Only sections are given here. 



I 



5 

Lord God granting him life, do honor to our country, in acquiring 
immortal fame and memory. And Alderotto Brunelleschi who 
started with him and by chance turning back was not willing to 
accompany him further, will, when he hears of this, be discon- 
tented. Nothing else now occurs to me, as I have advised you by 
others of what is necessary. I commend myself constantly to you, 
praying you to impart this to our friends, not forgetting Pier- 
francesco Dagaghiano who in consequence of being an experienced 
person will take much pleasure in it, and commend me to him. 
Likewise to Rustichi, who will not be displeased, if he delight, as 
usual, in learning matters of cosmography. God guard you from 
all evil. 

Your son. 

Bernardo Carli, in Lyons 

The History of the " Dauphine " and Its Voyage 

1524 
Selections from a Letter of the Navigator Giovanni da Ver- 
razano to the King of France, Francis I, Patron and Director of 
the Exploration, about the Voyage which He Made along the 
Eastern Coast of the Present United States and during which 
He Entered the Harbor of the Present City of New York ^ 

To King Francis I of France 
After the tempest suffered in the northern parts, Most Serene 
King, I have not written to Your Majesty that which was experi- 
.enced by the four ships which thou hadst sent by the Ocean to dis- 
cover new lands, thinking that thou hadst been certified of every- 
thing — how we were compelled by the impetuous force of the winds 
to return to Brittany with only the distressed Normanda and 
Dauphine; where having made repairs. Your Majesty will have 
learned the voyage we made with them, armed for war, along the 
coasts of Spain ; later, the new disposition with the Dauphine alone 
to continue the first navigation; having leturned from which. I will 
tell Your Majesty what we have found. 

From Madeira to the New World. Tempest in the Ocean 

From the deserted rock near to the island of Madeira of the Most 
Serene King of Portgual " with the said Dauphine, on the XVII of 



^ Headings are put in by the editor. 

« commencing 1524. [Lettered notes are the annotations found in the 
manuscript. Ed.\ 



the month of January past, with fifty men, furnished with victuals, 
arms and other instruments of war and naval munitions for eight 
months, we departed, sailing westward by an east-south-east wind 
blowing with sweet and gentle lenity. In XXV days we sailed 
eight hundred leagues. The XXIIII day of February" we suffered 
a tempest as severe as ever a man who has navigated suffered. From 
which, with the divine aid and the goodness of the ship, adapted 
by its glorious name and fortunate destiny to support the violent 
waves of the sea, we were delivered. We pursued our navigation 
continuously toward the west, holding somewhat to the north. 
In XXV more days we sailed more than 400 leagues where there 
appeared to us a new land never before seen by anyone, ancient 
or modern. 

The Land First Seen in 34° North Latitude 

At first it appeared rather low ; having approached to within a 
quarter of a league, we perceived it, by the great fires built on the 
shore of the sea, to be inhabited. We saw that it ran toward the 
south ; following it, to find some port where we could anchor with 
the ship and investigate its nature, in the space of fifty leagues we 
did not find a port or any place where it was possible to stay with 
the ship. And having seen that it trended continually to the south, ^ 
we decided to turn about to coast it toward the north, where we 
found the same place. ^ We anchored by the coast, sending the 
small boat to land. We had seen many people who came to the 
shore of the sea and seeing us approach fied, sometimes halting, 
turning back, looking with great admiration. Reassuring them by 
various signs, some of them approached, showing great delight at 
seeing us, marvelling at our clothes, figures and whiteness, making 
to us various signs where we could land more conveniently with 
the small boat, offering to us of their foods. 

The First Landing and the First Indigenes 

We were on land, and that which we were able to learn of their 
life and customs I will tell Your Majesty briefly : 

They go nude of everything except that . . . they wear some 
skins of little animals like martens, a girdle of fine grass woven with 



» pel haps 16 hours. 

^ in order not to meet with the Spaniards. 

1 That is, to the place where he first came in sight of land — about 
34 degrees north latitude. See later in this leaflet, p. 14. 




VERRAZANO MONUMENT, NEW YORK 
Battery Park, New York City 



various tails of other animals which hang around the body as far as 
the knees; the rest nude; the head likewise. Some wear certain 
garlands of feathers of birds. They are of dark color not much 
unlike the Ethiopians, and hair black and thick, and not very long, 
which they tie together back on the head in the shape of a little tail. 
As for the symmetry of the man, they are well proportioned, of 
medium stature, and rather exceed us. In the breast they are broad, 
their arms well built, the legs and other parts of the body well put 
together. There is nothing else, except that they incline somewhat 
to broadness in the face; but not all, for in more we saw the face 
clear-cut. The eyes black and large, the glance intent and quick. 
They are not of much strength, in craftiness acute, agile and the 
greatest runners. From what we were able to learn by experience, 
they resemble in the last two respects the Orientals, and mostly 
those of the farthest Sinarian regions.^ We were not able to learn 
with particularity of the life and customs of these people because 
of the shortness of the stay we made on land, on account there being 
few people and the ship anchored in the high sea. 

[Here follows a description of the country and the climate in the 
vicinity of the Carolinas.] 

A Sailor Among the Indigenes 

We left this place continually skirting the coast, which we found 
turned to the east. Seeing everywhere great fires on account of the 
multitude of the inhabitants, anchoring there ofif the shore because it 
did not contain any port, on account of the need of water we sent 
the little boat to land with XXV men. Because of the very large 
waves which the sea cast up on the shore on account of the strand 
being open, it was not possible without danger of losing the boat 
for any one to land. We saw many people on shore making us 
various signs of friendship, motioning us ashore ; among whom 
I saw a magnificent deed, as Your Majesty will hear. 

Sending ashore by swimming one of our young sailors carrying 
to them some trinkets, such as little bells, mirrors, and other favors, 
and being approached within 4 fathoms of them, throwing the goods 
to them and wishing to turn back he was so tossed by the waves that 
almost half dead he was carried to the edge of the shore. Which 
having been seen, the people of the land ran immediately to him; 
taking him by the head, legs and arms, they carried him some 



^ Ramusio's text has the " regions of China." 



8 

distance away. Where, the youth, seeing himself carried in such 
way, stricken with terror, uttered very loud cries, which they did 
similarly in their language, showing him that he should not fear. 
After that, having placed him on the ground in the sun at the foot 
of a little hill, they performed great acts of admiration, regarding 
the whiteness of his flesh, examining him from head to foot. Tak- 
ing off his shirt and hose, leaving him nude, they made a very 
large fire near him, placing him near the heat. Which having been 
seen, the sailors who had remained in the small boat, full of fear, 
as is their custom in every new case, thought that they wanted to 
roast him for food. His strength recovered, having remained with 
them awhile, he showed by signs that he desired to return to the 
ship; who, with the greatest kindness, holding him always close 
with various embraces, accompanied him as far as the sea, and 
in order to assure him more, extending themselves on a high hill, 
stood to watch him until he was in the boat. Which young man 
learned of this people that they are thus: of dark color like the 
others, the flesh more lustrous, of medium stature, the face more 
clear-cut, much more delicate of body and other members, of much 
less strength and even of intelligence. He saw nothing else. 

[Here follows an annotation on the names which Verrazano gave 
to various places in this locality.] 

Three Days in "Arcadia " ^ : a Boy Stolen 

Having departed thence, following always the shore which turned 
somewhat toward the north, we came in the space of fifty leagues 
to another land which appeared much more beautiful and full of 
the largest forests. Anchoring at which, XX men going about two 
leagues inland, we found the people through fear had fled to the 
woods. Seeking everywhere, we met with a very old woman and a 
damsel of from XVHI to XX years, who through fear had hidden 
themselves in the grass. The old one had two little girls whom she 
carried on the shoulders, and back on the neck a boy, all of eight 
years of age. The young woman had as many of the same, but all 
girls. Having approached toward whom, they began to cry out, 
[and] the old woman to make signs to us that the men had fled to 
the woods. We gave them to eat of our viands, which she accepted 
with great gusto ; the young woman refused everything and with 
anger threw it to the ground. We took the boy from the old 



1 Maryland or Delaware. 



woman to carry to France, and wishing to take the young woman, 
who was of much beauty and of tall stature, it was not however 
possible, on account of the very great cries which she uttered, for 
us to conduct her to the sea. And having to pass through some 
woods, being far from the ship, we decided to release her, carrying 
only the boy. 

The Textile Plants and the Grape: the Offering of Fire 

[Here is given a description of the products found in the vicinity 
of Maryland and Delaware.] 

Having remained in this place three days, anchored ofif the coast, 
we decided on account of the scarcity of ports to depart, always 
skirting the shore "• toward the north and east, navigating by day- 
light and casting anchor at night. ^ 

Land of Angouleme, Bay Saint Margherita (New York), River 
Vendome (Hudson), Island of Queen Luisa (Block Island?) 

At the end of a hundred leagues we found a very agreeable 
situation located within two small prominent hills, in the midst of 
which flowed to the sea a very great river, which was deep within 
the mouth ; and from the sea to the hills of that [place] with the 
rising of the tides, which we found eight feet, any laden ship might 
have passed. On account of being anchored off the coast in good 
shelter, we did not wish to adventure in without knowledge of the 
entrances. We were with the small boat, entering the said river to 



''which we baptized Arcadia on account of the beauty of the trees. 

In Arcadia we found a man who came to the shore to see what people 
we were; who stood hesitating and ready for flight. Watching us, he did 
not permit himself to be approached. He was handsome, nude, with hair 
fastened back in a knot, of olive color. 

We were, about XX [in number,] ashore and coaxing him he approached 
to within about two fathoms, showing a burning stick as if to offer us fire. 
And we made fire with powder and flint-and-steel and he trembled all over 
with terror and we fired a shot. He stopped as if astonished and prayed, 
worshipping like a monk, lifting his finger toward the sky, and pointing to 
the ship and the sea he appeared to bless us. 

^ we followed a coast very green with forests but without ports, and with 
some charming promontories and small rivers. We baptized the coast 
" di Lorenna"^ on account of the Cardinal; the first promontory " Lanzone," 
the second " Bonivetto," ^ the largest river " Vandoma," " and a small moun- 
tain which stands bv the sea " di C. Polo " i on account of the Count. 



1 See the map of Maillo in this leaflet. 

2 See the map by Verrazano's brother in this leaflet. 



lO 

the land, which we found much populated. The people, almost 
like the others, clothed with the feathers of birds of various colors, 
came toward us joyfully, uttering very great exclamations of 
admiration, showing us where we could land with the boat more 
safely. We entered said river, within the land, about half a league, 
where we saw it made a very beautiful lake with a circuit of about 
three leagues ; Through which they [the Indians] went, going from 
one and another part to the number of XXX of their little barges, 
with innumerable people, who passed from one shore and the other 
in order to see us. In an instant, as is wont to happen in naviga- 
tion, a gale of unfavorable wind blowing in from the sea, we were 
forced to return to the ship, leaving the said land with much regret 
because of its commodiousness and beauty, thinking it was not 
without some properties of value, all of its hills showing indications 
of minerals.* 

The anchor raised, sailing toward the east, as thus the land 
turned, having traveled LXXX leagues always in sight of it, we 
discovered an island triangular in form, distant ten leagues from 
the continent, in size like the island of Rhodes, full of hills, covered 
with trees, much populated [judging] by the continuous fires along 
all the surrounding shore which we saw they made. We baptized 
it in the name of your most illustrious mother ^ ; not anchoring 
there on account of the unfavorableness of the weather. 

" Refugio," the Very Beautiful Port (Newport), and Its Two 

Kings 

We came to another land, distant from the island XV leagues, 
where we found a very beautiful port, and before we entered it, 
we saw about XX barges of the people who came with various 
cries of wonder round about the ship. Not approaching nearer 
than fifty paces, they halted, looking at the edifice [that is, the 
ship] , our figures and clothes ; then altogether they uttered a loud 
shout, signifying that they were glad. Having reassured them some- 
what, imitating their gestures, they came so near that we threw them 
some little bells and mirrors and many trinkets, having taken 
which, regarding them with laughter, they entered the ship con- 
fidently. There were among them two Kings, of as good stature 



o Called Angoleme from the principality which thou attainedst in lesser 
fortune, and the bay which that land makes Santa Margarita from the name 
of the sister who vainquishes the other matrons of modesty and art. 

b Aloysia. 



'6jn3iQi'»£ ?^v6v 














/ 



^C ^^ 




^:7U 



Map made by Maiollo in 1527, showing the use of names given by Verrazano 
in his letter. [From Winsor's Narrative and Critical History, IV, p. 39.] Only 
a section is given here. 






cvaO 













i^^ 



■.'•- i<?"f/^f''«a J-^/v^'j 



/).l fUfU'o MiclK? 

Often lu }e }i licle, 

iC II' ore o<<icie/i tcA.Ui 



.^ 



Map made by Verrazano's brother, Hieronimo, in 1529, and based on the 
navigator's data. [From Memorial History of New York, I, p. 14.] Only a 
section is given here. 




A drawing of Angouleme (New York harljor) and the Porto del Refugio (New- 
port harbor) based on French maps of the time that Ramusio pubhshed his Navi- 
gationi el Viaggi, 1556. Block island, named in the Verrazano letter (1524) ".4/031- 
sia," and in his brother's map (1529) and in the map of MaioUo (1527) " Luisa," 
has here been changed into " Buiso," or perhaps " Brisa " — evidently a corruption. 




French ships in the sixteenth century. It was in a ship such as these that 
Verrazano came to New York harbor in 1524. 

(Both of the above cuts are taken from Ramusio) 



II 

and form as it would be possible to tell; the first of about XXXX 
years, the other a young man of XXIIII years, the clothing of 
whom was thus: the older had on his nude body a skin of a stag, 
artificially adorned like a damask with various embroideries ; the 
head bare, the hair turned back with various bands, at the neck a 
broad chain ornamented with many stones of diverse colors. The 
young man was almost in the same style. This is the most beauti- 
ful people and the most civilized in customs that we have found 
in this navigation. They excel us in size; they are of bronze color, 
some inclining more to whiteness, others to tawny color; the face 
sharply cut, the hair long and black, upon which they bestow 
the greatest study in adorning it ; the eyes black and alert, the bear- 
ing kind and gentle, imitating much the ancient [manner]. Of 
the other parts of the body I will not speak to Your Majesty, having 
all the proportions which belong to every well built man. Their 
women are of the same beauty and charm ; very graceful ; of 
comely mien and agreeable aspect ; of habits and behavior as much 
according to womanly custom as pertains to human nature; they 
go nude with only one skin of the stag embroidered like the men, 
and some wear on the arms very rich skins of the lynx; the head 
bare, with various arrangements of braids, composed of their own 
hair, which hang on one side and the other of the breast. Some 
use other hair-arrangements like the women of Egypt and of 
Syria use, and these are they who are advanced in age and are 
joined in wedlock. They have in the ears various pendent trinkets 
as the orientals are accustomed to have, the men like the women, 
among which we saw many plates wrought from copper, by whom 
it is prized more than gold; which, on account of its color, they 
do not esteem ; wherefore among all it is held by them more worth- 
less ; on the other hand rating blue and red above any other. 
That which they were given by us which they most valued were 
little bells, blue crystals and other trinkets to place in the ears 
and on the neck. They did not prize cloth of silk and of gold nor 
even of other kind, nor did they care to have them ; likewise with 
metals like steel and iron ; for many times showing them our arms 
they did not conceive admiration for them nor ask for them, only 
examining the workmanship. They did the same with the mirrors ; 
suddenly looking at them, they refused them laughing. They are 
very liberal, so much so that all which they have they give away. 
We formed a great friendship with them, and one day, before we 
had entered with the ship in the port, remaining on account of the 
unfavorable weather conditions anchored a league at sea, they 



12 

came in great numbers in their little barges to the ship, having 
painted and decked the face with various colors, showing to us it 
was evidence of good feeling, bringing to us of their food, signal- 
ing to us where for the safety of the ship we ought anchor in 
the port, continually accompanying us until we cast anchor there. 

Fifteen Days among the Indigenes of " Refugio " 

In which we remained XV days, supplying ourselves with many- 
necessities ; where every day the people came to see us at the ship, 
bringing their women, of whom they are very careful ; because, 
entering the ship themselves, remaining a long time, they made 
their women stay in the barges, and however many entreaties we 
made them, offering to give them various things, it was not possible 
that they would allow them to enter the ship. And one of the two 
Kings ^ coming many times with the Queen and many attendants 
through their desire to see us, at first always stopped on a land 
distant from us two hundred paces, sending a boat to inform us of 
their coming, saying they wished to come to see the ship ; doing 
this for a kind of safety. And when they had the response from us, 
they came quickly, and having stood awhile to look, hearing the 
noisy clamor of the sailor crowd, sent the Queen with her damsels 
in a very light barge to stay on a little island distant from us a 
quarter of a league; himself remaining a very long time, dis- 
coursing by signs and gestures of various fanciful ideas, examining 
all the equipments of the ship, asking especially their purpose, 
imitating our manners, tasting our foods, then parted from us 
benignantly. And one time, our people remaining two or three 
days on a little island near the ship for various necessities as is the 
custom of sailors, he came with seven or eight of his attendants, 
watching our operations, asking many times if we wished to remain 
there for a long time, offering us his every help. Then, shooting 
with the bow, running, he performed with his attendants various 
games to give us pleasure. 

[Here follows a description of the land and the products in the 
vicinity of Newport. This is followed by a description of the coasts 
of Cape Cod and those to the north of that cape. Then follows 
a description of the Indians living along those coasts.] 



1 When Roger Williams went to this same country over a century later he 
found that they had two chief kings or sachems, Canonicus and Miantonomo. 



13 

The Return 

We departed, skirting the coast between east and north. . . . 

[Here follows a description of a coast with many islands, prob- 
ably the coast of Maine.] 

Navigating between east-south-east and north-north-east, in the 
space of CL leagues we came near the land which the Britons found 
in the past, which stands in fifty degrees, and having consumed all 
our naval stores and victuals, having discovered six hundred leagues 
and more of new land, furnishing ourselves with water and wood, 
we decided to turn toward France. 

The Indigenes Without Religion 

How much religion these people whom we have found have, we 
were not able to learn, through lack of language, either by signs 
or any gestures. We consider they have neither religion nor law, 
nor know a First Cause or Author, nor worship the sky, stars, sun 
or moon or other planets, nor have any species of idolatry, nor did 
we learn that they make sacrifice or other prayers ; nor that their 
villages had temples or churches for prayer. 

We think they have not any creed and live in entire freedom, and 
everything proceeds from ignorance, for they are very easy to 
persuade, and did with as much enthusiasm and fervor as we all 
that which by us Christians they saw done concerning the divine 
worship. 

The Longitude Covered: the Astronomical Diary 

It remains for me to narrate to Your Majesty the order of said 
navigation as it bears on Cosmography. As I said above, departing 
from the aforesaid rocks which are situated in the extremity of the 
west known to the ancients, and in the meridian described by the 
Fortunate Islands, in latitude of XXXII degrees from the equator 
in our hemisphere, we sailed to the west, as far as the first land 
we found, MCC leagues, which contain 4,800 miles, counting four 
miles per league according to the maritime usage of naval experts : 

[Here follow in detail his nautical calculations.] 
as I have noted all fully in a little book, together with the rising 
of the tide, in whatever region, at any time and hour, which I think 
would prove to be not useless for navigators. 

I hope, for better speculation, to discuss it with Your Majesty. 



H 

The Object of the Voyage 

My intention was in this navigation to reach Cathay and the 
extreme east of Asia, not expecting to find such an obstacle of new 
land as I found ; and if for some reason I expected to find it, I 
thought it to be not without some strait to penetrate to the Eastern 
Ocean. And this has been the opinion of all the ancients, believing 
certainly our Western Ocean to be one with the Eastern Ocean of 
India without interposition of land. This Aristotle affirms, arguing 
by many similitudes, which opinion is very contrary to the moderns 
and according to experience untrue. Because the land has been 
found by them unknown to the ancients, another world with respect 
to the one which was known to them, it manifestly shows itself 
to be larger than our Europe and Africa and almost Asia, if we 
estimate correctly its size; as briefly I will give Your Majesty a 
little account of it. 

The New Lands Form a Great Continent 

[Here are put some more mathematical calculations.] 
On the other hand, we, in this navigation made by order of Your 
Majesty beyond 92 degrees, etc. from said meridian toward the west 
to the land we first found in 34 degrees,* navigated 300 leagues 
between east and north and almost 400 leagues to the east uninter- 
ruptedly along the shore of the land, attaining to 54 degrees, leaving 
the land that the Lusitanians ^ found a long time ago, which they 
followed farther north as far as the Artie circle leaving the end 
unknown. Therefore the northern latitude joined with the south- 
ern, that is, 54 degrees with 66 degrees, make 120 degrees, more 
latitude than Africa and Europe contain, because joining the 
extremity of Europe which the limits of Norway form [and] which 
stand in 71 degrees with the extremity of Africa, which is the 
Promontory of Good Hope in 35 degrees, makes only 106 degrees, 
and if the terrestrial area of said land corresponds in extent to the 
seashore, there is no doubt it exceeds Asia in size. 

Proportion between Land and Water in the Globe 

In such way we find the globe of the Earth much larger than the 
ancients have held and contrary to the Mathematicians who have 
considered that relatively to the water it [the land] was smaller, 
which we have found by experience to be the reverse. 



» land near Temistitan. 

^ that is, Bacalaia, so called from a fish. 



15 

And as for the corporeal area of space, we judge there cannot be 
less land than water, as I hope on a better occasion by further, 
reasoning to make clear and proven to Your Majesty. 

The New World Is Isolated 

All this land or New World which above I have described is 
connected together, not adjoining Asia nor Africa (which I know to 
a certainty) ; it may join Europe by Norway and Russia ; which 
would be false according to the ancients, who declare almost all 
the north from the promontory of the Cimbri to have been navi- 
gated to the east, going around as far as the Caspian Sea itself they 
affirm. It would therefore remain included between two seas, 
between the Eastern and the Western, and that, accordingly 
(secondo) shuts off one from the other; because beyond 54 degrees 
from the equator toward the south it [the new land] extends 
toward the east for a long distance, and from the north passing 66 
degrees it continues, turning toward the east, reaching as far as 
70 degrees. 

I hope we shall have better assurance of this, with the aid of 
Your Majesty, whom God Almighty prosper in everlasting glory, 
that we may see the perfect end of this our cosmography, and that 
the sacred word of the evangelist may be accomplished : '' Their 
sound has gone out into all the earth," etc. 

In the ship Dauphine, VIII of July, M. D. XXIIII. 

Humble servant, Janus Verazanus 

To Leonardo Tedaldi or to Thomaso Sartini, merchants in Lyons. 
To he forwarded to Bonacorso Ruscellay. 

NOTE 

Beyond what is given in the sources above very little is known 
about Verrazano. It is conjectured that he was born in 1485 and 
that he was lost on a second voyage which he undertook in 1528. 
For a list of books about him, see Channing, Hart and Turner, 
Guide to the Study of American History, pages 249 and 250. For 
years there was a dispute as to the authenticity of the letter describ- 
ing the voyage of the " Dauphine," but in 1909 a new copy with 
annotations was discovered in the Cellere palace in Rome. This 
settled the question in favor of the genuineness and Professor 
Alessandro Bacchiani of Rome published the new text along with an 
introduction in which the whole controversy was critically 
reviewed. Bacchiani's work was translated from Italian into 
English by Dr Edward Hagaman Hall of New York and published 



i6 

in the Fifteenth Annual Report of the American Scenic and 
Historic Preservation Society (1910) under the title Giovanni da 
Verrazsano and His Discoveries in North America. It is from 
this text that the selections here given are taken. 

The letter of da Silveira and that of Carli are taken from the 
translations of the texts published by H. C. Murphy in his Voyage 
of Verrazzano, pages 162-63 and 17, 18, 19 respectively. A cor- 
rection is made in the Carli letter changing that writer's first name 
from Fernando as given by Murphy and others to Bernardo, a 
change which Bacchiani shows according to the manuscript should 
be made. 

In making the selections from Verrazano's letter an attempt has 
been made to give those parts particularly applicable to New York 
and the coasts of Long Island sound. Incidents preceding the 
arrival in New York harbor, and such descriptions of Indian life as 
were as well applicable to the Indians in the vicinity of New York 
as elsewhere, have been given. 



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